The DIY templates you can get free with everything from your business cards to your lunch are running amuck – and the result is that the Internet is now filled with sites that look like a bunch of grade-schoolers created them.

Impressive? No, they aren’t. Nor are they helpful in terms of getting any ‘traffic’ to your business.

And isn’t that what website design is all about? Yes, it is.

Unfortunately, it’s one of those things where ‘everyone’ has jumped on the bandwagon. You buy a domain name, and bingo, they give you a website on the side (like free ice cream with your pie).

The problem is that you don’t know what to do with the site builder, any more than if we handed you a stethoscope and said, “Ok, this is what doctors use, so go forth, be a doctor!”

Website design is one of those things that takes real skills, folks – and there’s a lot more pieces to the puzzle then clicking on a layout and typing in your name and address and uploading a few of your favorite selfies (that’s called Facebook).

Suddenly your site is live, but instead of celebrating – you need to stop and realize that you’ve just done a great disservice to your business.

​Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let’s get down to a few basics…

Do you really need a website? Yes you do.

Should your website present a visual image, distinctive from all others? Yes it should.

Can you get all this from a template? Not unless you are a web designer and know how to ‘paint a picture’ from a business service or product.

Is it advantageous to keep your contact and services information updated? Absolutely.

Can your website provide a competitive advantage for you? Yes, with the right skilled digital marketing partner.

Is having a Facebook page just as good as a website? No, it’s not even close.

Is it vital to keep your NAP (name, address, phone #) perfectly consistent across the Internet? Yes, otherwise you are confusing the mechanisms involved in ‘search.’

It’s really in your company’s best interest to leave your web design to the experts. That’s not to say you should have to pay thousands of dollars, or that you shouldn’t have any input.

It’s just that if you take advantage of what a web designer has to offer you, your web presence will be much more substantial, and help you attract and retain customers.